Some folks wanna diss Wizard for charging $1k for the job in sub comments. Look, the man invests money in tools knowledge and other overhead costs. If you dont like what he charges, dont watch.

Usually the 2.4 doesn’t last long enough to need a water pump 😂

They’re literally engineering vehicles to be unreliable and require needlessly expensive repairs. Should be illegal.

If you are broke, learn to work on your own cars like me.

I used to be a Chevy guy because they built a brand that used to be 'mechanic friendly'. I went Japanese without any regrets.

Some years ago we almost bought a GMC Terrain. We were warned off of it's purchase by a trusted mechanic. I am glad we listened to him.

But why take a job and complain about it the whole time

There are tons of water pumps that are driven off timing belts. The old 90s mk3 VW Jetta 2.0 for example. Or the Honda V6 engines. Good thing about those is, since the timing belt is a common tune up item, you do the pump along with the belt and never have to worry outside of that. But, yeah, the engineering on this particular water pump is moronic.

Planned obsolescence....they want you back in the dealership to spend $2k for a water pump. OR why not just talk to the salesman about trading it in for a new one?

Next on Hovies Garage: "I bought the cheapest Equinox in the USA and it needs a water pump"

Oh I bet GM never thought the engine would last that many miles to need the water pump changed in the first place...given the piston ring issue.

At this point in my life, I've come to realize that an honest mechanic is worth what he charges.

I'm absolutely stunned by the level of "engineering" going on in vehicles and engines these days. Not long ago i did both water pump and thermostat on a Jeep 4.0 and a Ford 4.9 (both with mechanical fan) in about 3 hours combined for CAD $73 in parts. no special tools, no extra part removal required, no BS, no problems. The automotive industry is a complete race to the bottom these days. I can understand why this is a thousand dollar job, you gotta turn yourself into a pretzel to get in there.

Finally, GM has caught up to BMW, as they've always wanted! What a great American success story!

The stories about BMW owners really hits home. Just a few weeks back we had a sweet old lady bring her grandson's 3 series in. He'd just bought it, despite her stern warnings, and he spent all the money he had on the purchase. Anyway, of course it had oil leaks galore, totally failed front shocks, every tyre was a different size, plus a few more issues...

Your remark about a $1000 water pump repair on a Chevrolet is spot on. People do not buy a vehicle in this class and price point and expect to spend that kind of money on a wear part!

Last time I was this early, Car Wizard still loved BMW and Audi.

My first car wizard video. Well done. I was a maintenance tech in an auto assembly plant in the eighties. Watched how cars are layered together With no thought to ever fixing anything. I respect the skills of guys like wizard and the dealer techs but holy hell, that’s gotta be one of the most frustrating jobs on earth. I’ve got a 2014 four banger equinox coming up on 80 k miles, made in Tennessee. No problems ever, just praying now my water pump hangs in there.

Brother I completely agree. I have been a master tech for 40 plus years. The engineering is ridiculous. I'm sick to death of hearing about cost. The manufacturers could careless about the customer. That water pump could have easily been simplified by the use of a split housing. I can't see any extra cost by doing so. The cat would still have to come out but the tool and the extra time would have been cut in half. The transfer tube could have been made so as not to remove the t-stat housing as well. Therefore you would not need a timing tool, the removal of the t-stat house, the big one piece water pump, the wheel and shield removal, and the seal kit. You would probably be looking at 1.7 hours in labor. That job would have been able to have been done for around $350.00 bucks. And people let me explain something to you. Automotive repair shops and technicians are not charity centers. What you do not understand is that it takes a lot of money and training for a tech to be good at his job. It takes a lot of money to operate and supply a shop. Then you have the insurance that must be carried on everything. Lights, heat, nuts, bolts, fastsners, degreasers, cleaners, lubricants, hoses, clamps, rags, and a ton of other things that go into the repairs and maintenance of vehicles are not handed out for free. Then you have building codes and federal regulations and state regulations and licensing. Disposal costs and upkeep. Right down to the soap and toilet paper. So when it comes to a big bill, don't cry about it. Automotive technicians hear it all. They give up seeing family and friends because you want to keep your appointment with family and friends. Honest men worry about the quality of the service they give. If you don't want a big repair bill, then go and buy everything you need to repair your car yourself. A thousand dollars won't buy you nothing but a harbor freight tools box without tools. And that's another thing, good quality tools cost tens of thousands of dollars. I like your video. And I like how you told the truth. They are junk.

Never done a water pump on an equinox for a no heat complaint but have done plenty of heater cores 😉